Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal strip

ABSTRACT

In an apparatus for the continuous casting of metal strip a casting cavity is formed between a rotating casting drum and an oscillating casting shoe, both of which are supported on a common shaft.

United States Patent Pauels [151 3,659,643 51 May 2,1972

[54] APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS CASTING OF METAL STRIP [72] Inventor:Heinrich Panels, Duesseldorf-Lohausen,

Germany [73] Assignee: Schloemann Aktlengesellschaft, Dusseldorf,Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 5, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 61,118

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 16, 1969 Germany ..P 19 41729.9

[52] 11.5. CI ..164/260, 164/276 [51] Int. Cl ..B22d 27/08 [58] Field ofSearch ..164/276, 279, 82, 83, 277,

[56] I Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Wasson ..l64/89 x 3,208,112 9/1965 Scribner ..164/260 X 2,393,213 1/1946 Willard ..164/276 X441,643 12/1890 Close ..164/276 1,600,668 9/1926 Hazelett... 164/276 X3,338,295 8/1967 Scribner ..164/89 3,343,592 9/1967 Vogel 164/260Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner--John S. BrownAttorney-Sandoe, Hopgood & Calimafde [5 7] ABSTRACT ln an apparatus forthe continuous casting of metal strip a casting cavity is formed betweena rotating casting drum and an oscillating casting shoe, both of whichare supported on a common shaft.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 2 Shams-Sheet 1 lNVEN'I'OR. HEINRICH PAUELS NNMU 3 ATTORNEYS Patented May 2, 1972 3,59,43

2 Sheets-Shed; z

' INVbEJ/ 0R, HEINRICH PAUELS ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUSCASTING OF METAL STRIP In continuous casting of metal strip, the use ofa casting wheel which has an endless groove in its periphery, is knownin the prior art. To form a casting cavity, said groove is coveredthroughout a segment of its total periphery by a cooled endless castingbelt which is supported and guided by guide rolls. Molten metal ispoured into the cavity, solidifies to a strip by its contact with thecooled belt and cooled casting wheel, and is discharged from theapparatus as a continuous strip.

However, the casting belt in such an apparatus wears out relativelyquickly and it is difficult to provide a satisfactory seal between thecasting belt and the casting wheel.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the above describeddifficulties. According to the present invention, a casting cavity isformed between the convex peripheral surface of a cooled cylindricalcasting drum and the concave curved surface of a cooled casting shoe,the cylinder and shoe both being supported by shafts having a commonaxis which also is the center of the cylindrical surface of the castingdrum and of the curved surface of the shoe; The casting shoe is flaredoutwardly at its substantially vertical inlet section to form a troughto receive molten metal, and it extends around almost one quarter of thecasting drum in casting direction to end in a substantially horizontaloutlet section. The cast strip therefore leaves the apparatus in asubstantially horizontal, straight line, without using a casting belt.

In order to provide a casting cavity between the said surfaces, one ofthe surfaces is U-shaped in transverse cross section and the othersurface is straight in transverse cross section. For example, that partof the concave surface of the casting shoe which faces the casting drummay have a U-shaped transverse cross section, while the transverse crosssection of the outer wall of the drum is straight. As an alternativedesign, the transverse cross section of the outer wall of the drum maybe U-shaped, while the transverse cross section ofthat part of theconcave surface of the casting shoe which faces the casting drum isstraight.

ln either case, the part which has the surface of U-shaped cross sectionprovides a channel located between shoulders which contact the surfaceof the other part while the surface of the channel is spaced therefromto form the casting cavity. The shoulders are provided with elasticpacking rings which seal the edges of the cavity. Lubrication isprovided for all contact areas to reduce wear by friction. In apreferred embodiment, the packing rings and the lubrication grooves arelocated in shoulders formed in the curved wall of the casting shoe.

In the operation of the apparatus as molten metal is poured into thecasting cavity, the casting drum is rotated continuously and the castingshoe is oscillated continuously in timed relation thereto, preferablyadvancing with the drum at the same speed as the drum, and then beingretracted at a greater speed.

After the strip leaves the casting machine, it may be rolled formetallurgical improvement and coiled. A temperature equalization chamberto obtain a constant strip temperature may be located between thecasting apparatus and the rolling mill.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a partly sectionalized elevation of the casting apparatus andFIG. 2 is a section on line ll-ll of FIG. 1.

A cylindrical casting drum 3 is mounted for rotation on shafts 2joumalled in a frame 1. The drum is driven by a motor 6 through gears 4,5. A casting shoe 8 is provided with side plates 7 which are locatedbetween he frame 1 and the ends of the casting drum 3 and are pivotallysupported on the drum shafts 2. As the casting drum is rotated, theshoe, which forms a casting cavity 9 with the drum, may be oscillated byany suitable means, as by a hydraulic cylinder 10, or an eccentric orthe like.

The cavity 9 is formed between theconvex cylindrical wall 11 of the drum3 and the concave curved wall 12 of the casting shoe 8. Coolants flowthrough channels 14 in the drum and through channels 15 in the castingshoe.

The side edges of the casting cavity 9 are sealed by shoulders 13 andpacking rings 16 which are located on the outside of the shoulders 13,and thereby reduce friction between the wall 11 and the shoulders 13.The shoulders 13 also have lubrication grooves 17 which are locatedbetween the packing rings 16 and the cavity 9 and which help to preventthe escape of metal from the cavity.

in operation, liquid metal pours from the ladle 19 into the tundish 18,which rests on frame 1. An exit opening 18 of the tundish is locatedvertically above the flared inlet section 20 of the casting shoe.

The liquid metal is solidified through contact with the cooled walls 11and 12 and the shoulders 13 and forms a strip 21, which leaves thecasting apparatus in a substantially horizontal direction along a rollertable 22. if desired, the strip may be conducted through a temperatureequalization chamber 23 and then through a rolling stand 24 and maythereafter be coiled on a coiler 25.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified andembodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal strip comprising acasting drum having a convex casting surface, a casting shoe having aconcave curved casting surface, the convex casting surface of thecasting drum and the concave casting surface of the casting shoe havinga common center of curvature and being spaced to provide a castingcavity therebetween, the casting drum being mounted for rotation and thecasting shoe being mounted for oscillation on a common axis which is thecenter of curvature of said casting surfaces.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for rotating said castingdrum and means for oscillating said casting shoe.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the convex casting surface of thecasting drum is a cylindrical surface which is straight in transversecross section, and the concave casting surface of the casting shoe isU-shaped in transverse cross section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the side edges of the castingcavity are closed and scaled by shoulders each having an elastic packingring therein.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the said shoulders each have alubricating groove therein.

1. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal strip comprising acasting drum having a convex casting surface, a casting shoe having aconcave curved casting surface, the convex casting surface of thecasting drum and the concave casting surface of the casting shoe havinga common center of curvature and being spaced to provide a castingcavity therebetween, the casting drum being mounted for rotation and thecasting shoe being mounted for oscillation on a common axis which is thecenter of curvature of said casting surfaces.
 2. The apparatus of claim1 including means for rotating said casting drum and means foroscillating said casting shoe.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which theconvex casting surface of the casting drum is a cylindrical surfacewhich is straight in transverse cross section, and the concave castingsurface of the casting shoe is U-shaped in transverse cross section. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 in which the side edges of the casting cavityare closed and sealed by shoulders each having an elastic packing ringtherein.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the said shoulders eachhave a lubricating groove therein.